Voters poised to finally answer questions about national, local races

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Presidential Election Day should be a national holiday. Let people off work with pay to vote and celebrate American democracy.

And while we’re at it, let’s have Election Day sales at stores and big parades that end at polling places. Why not?

Imagine if Fred Astaire had crooned to Judy Garland at the Election Day parade, instead of the Easter parade.

Tuesday’s presidential contest doesn’t have a festive feel to it. It’s a close contest that could have everyone up late at night — or even the days ahead — to hear the winner announced.

The performance of President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney will dictate what happens to down-ballot candidates in Texas.

After months of speculation, here are a few questions that voters will finally answer.

Did Obama have an enthusiasm gap?

For Obama, this year’s election was obviously different from the 2008 contest, when large crowds of people were crying, fainting and hanging on his every word. They couldn’t wait to get to the polls.

Surveys show that Obama supporters are not as thrilled as they were four years ago and that Republicans are more excited about going to the polls.

But how does that translate on Election Day?

Obama still has the greatest turnout machine in the history of politics. Presidential elections generally bring more people to the polls, even if they haven’t been overcome by Obamamania like they were four years ago.

Dallas County Elections Administrator Toni Pippins-Poole predicts a turnout in Dallas County that could come close to 62 percent. If that mirrors the rest of the country, the enthusiasm gap can be described as overstated.

How much did Mitt Romney rebound from his bad summer?

A few months ago, the former Massachusetts governor had the lowest approval rating of any presidential candidate in history.

But now he’s stormed out of the wilderness with positive ratings that match Obama’s.

For much of his campaign, conservatives and independents saw Romney merely as a vessel to push Obama out of office.

When the Republican had a brilliant performance during the first debate with Obama, it changed the dynamic of the race.

If he has truly persuaded people to vote for him instead of against Obama, it could translate into a better showing in several critical swing states.

Can Republicans win any of the countywide contests in Dallas County? Can Democrats win one of the contested Texas House races in swing districts?

The 2010 Dallas County elections likely slammed the door on future opportunities for the GOP to win countywide. There are simply more Democrats in the county than Republicans, and that trend will continue for this cycle and beyond. That means a third term for Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez.

But Republicans are expected to win in all the Dallas County House districts that lean Republican, including Jason Villalba over Democrat Carol Kent in North Dallas and incumbent Kenneth Sheets over Democrat Robert Miklos in northeast Dallas, Garland and Mesquite.

Will the Texas Senate District 10 race between Democratic incumbent Wendy Davis and Republican state Rep. Mark Shelton live up to the hype?

The district leans Republican, so Davis has a fight.

If she wins, it will be because she successfully appealed to women and independent voters while using the united Democratic front behind her to turn out base voters. She will outperform Obama in the district, but she needs the president to avoid getting crushed in a GOP area.

Shelton needs to get his GOP base to the polls, including GOP-leaning independents and those who defected to Davis in her 2008 race against Republican Kim Brimer. And Shelton also needs a strong showing by Romney in order to match Davis’ get-out-the vote efforts.

No matter who wins, the race will be close.

They’re really vocal about early voting in Ohio

Wonder what enthusiasm in a swing state looks like? At an early vote polling location I visited in Hamilton County, Ohio, a gospel choir performed as people stood in line for hours to cast ballots early.

Polls show Obama with a slight lead in the Buckeye State, but after Tuesday’s vote the 18 electoral votes could go either way.

Concert season sadly coming to a close

Election season is a great time to hear live music.

On Friday I caught Kid Rock at a Romney rally in West Chester, Ohio.

Sunday, I heard Stevie Wonder perform at an Obama rally at the University of Cincinnati.

And Monday I was poised to see Jay-Z and Bruce Springsteen at an Obama rally in Columbus. But my editor, for some reason, wanted me to miss the show and return to Dallas.

You can’t win ’em all.

ELECTION DAY

FIND INFORMATION about candidates and races around the ballot. dallasnews.com/voterguide

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About Gromer Jeffers Jr.

Most unforgettable experience on the job: Covering the 2008 presidential race, including the dramatic primary contest between Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton. I was with John McCain for his final campaign stand and classy concession speech.

Something people don't know about me: Was once the lead singer in a Chicago
gospel quartet.

If I had two spare hours, I would: Play poker in the Wrigley Field bleachers
during a Cubs game.

The secret of a good news column is: One part news. One part
yourself.